citymedia.co.nz

The number of foreign visitors to New Zealand last month jumped by 1.7% from November last year, due, in part, to more direct flights from China, New Zealand government tourism agency announced Wednesday. Total visitor arrivals counted 230,000 in November, the same month that China Southern Airlines began every day flights between Guangzhou & Auckland.

Australia maintained its place as New Zealand's largest tourist market, with Australian visitor numbers rising 7.6 percent year on year, according to the figures released Wednesday by Statistics New Zealand. Australia accounted for about 44 percent of all visitor arrivals in the year to the finish of November, said Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive Kevin Bowler in a statement.

However, last month also saw "consistent growth out of Asian markets" with the visitor numbers from China up 3,685, Malaysia up one,320 & Singapore up 863 up from last year. "China Southern Airlines' commencement of every day flights in to New Zealand from November one will have definitely supported this outcome,” said Bowler. "The steady upward trend they continue to see out of Asia is a reminder that this market is where continued focus is necessary."

China Southern Airlines, which carried over 70 million passengers last year, began direct flights to New Zealand in April, & soon announced designs to increase capacity due to the demand.